Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Christine Jardine has called on the Conservative Government to give the American people a “proper birthday present” by standing up to President Trump on human rights.

Ms Jardine made her plea as the US celebrates Independence Day on the 4th of July. The Liberal Democrat MP wants the Conservative Government to use President Trump’s visit to the UK next Friday to “promote the shared values between British and American people” and “condemn Trump’s treatment of migrant families and his comments on torture.”

Ms Jardine said:

“The British and American people have a long history of shared values. Among the drivel and bile spouted by President Trump, those shared values must not be forgotten. Indeed, they must be promoted more than ever before.

“As the US celebrates Independence Day, the UK Government should give the American people a proper birthday gift and stand up to President Trump ahead of his visit to the UK next week.

“As a priority, the UK Government should unequivocally condemn President Trump’s abhorrent immigration policies and his endorsement of torture. This man has repeatedly demonstrated his disregard for fundamental human rights – Theresa May must stand up to this bullyboy”.

* Cllr. Tahir Maher is a member of the LDV editorial team (Wednesday). I would like members to write more articles on Green policies 🙂

12 Comments

I am afraid Mrs May cannot stand up to anyone , she seems to have thought Brexit is what the people want and despite all difficulties and growing concerns ,ploughs on because she hasnt the ability to engage with the facts,with Trump same problem she has been bought up to bow to |American presidents and despite this one being crass and nasty, will continue in her beliefs.

Hi, actually it is my birthday today, a yankee doodle dandy you might say!
Perhaps the news from the Electoral Commision about the Leave campaign, if correct, suggests that someone ought to take them to Court, who may say in such a close result what the Court might say! That would be a real birthday present. We edge more closer to another Referendum, the result of which, either way, we would all have to accept without grumbling. Should our party start the Court process? Certainly get us the publicity.

It is also time to condemn some British collusion with American practices in the Iraq war, in helping with rendition and apparently standing by when prisoners were tortured. I had hoped to read an article here reporting on the Parliamentary committee’s findings on this, and to hear that our own leaders are upholding the findings, condemning the practices and asking for an enquiry. Have we spoken out about this? I sent a tweet to Sir Vince asking for him to do so.

I’m afraid that, when it comes to ‘human rights’, our own track record is hardly blemish free. Take the treatment of ‘minorities’, for example. What about the beastly way in which the British voters have been treating the Lib Dems in recent years?

Seriously though, do you really expect May and co to stand up to Trump? It’s the ‘special relationship’ on which they are counting to bail us out after Brexit. Some hope!

@theakes “Should our party start the Court process? Certainly get us the publicity.”
Given that the Lib Dems were fined for their own breaches of finance rules during the referendum campaign, it might be best if somebody else started any such process!
More seriously, even if the Brexit campaign was a far worse offender (though the government funded pro-remain leaflet sent to every household just before the spending rules kicked in makes even that a greyer area than it should be), neither side being whiter than white undermines any challenge to the result on the back of this.

Whether the Remain camp sent a leaflet to every house is immaterial, it does not affect any possible Civil and Criminal liability of Leave. It is totally separate and is not mitigation for Leave. The easy way out of the mess for everyone is a second referendum the result of which we must all accept without rancour.

Yes, second referendum by all means, but could we please try to get a minimum turnout (70%?) and a minimum margin of say 55-45 for a decisive result, The obsession with
FPTP in the two major parties will make this difficult but we should not hesitate to point out that one vote either way is not enough in an issue of this magnitude.

@ Nick Collins. Yes it does. There is a very interesting article on Politico Europe about Trump’s newly appointed Ambassador to Berlin making inappropriate remarks and interfering in German domestic politics. It reminds me of the Soviet Union interference in satellite states.

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